Expanded metal lathing



Dec. 6, 1932. H. K. BAKER EXPANDED METAL LATHING Filed Aug. 29, 1927 Patented Dec. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT @FFEQE HERBERT K. BAKER, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGN'OR T0 PEJFIN METAL GCIEPANY,

OF PARKERSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA, A CORPORATION OF MASSACTIUSE-TTS EXPANDED METAL LATI-IING Application filed August 29, 1927.

This invention relates to the manufacture of expanded metal lathing and is more particularly concerned with lat-hing of the general type which has become known in the art as flat rib lath.

Among some of the more important objects of the invention are making possible increased rate of production while simplifying the apparatus necessary, particularly with respect to construction and maintenance.

An additional object of the invention is the production of lath which is more efficient as a plaster holder.

How the foregoing objects and advantages,

together with others which will appear to those skilled in the art, are obtained will be clear from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred em bodiment of expanded metal lathing of the character here involved, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a slitted and ribbed blank, prior to expansion;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of the blank of Figure 1;

Figures 3 and i are views similar to Figures 1 and 2, respectively, but showing the lath after expansion thereof; and

Figure 5 is a view of a fragment of the material considerably enlarged in order to bring out a certain feature, the view being taken substantially on section line 5-5 of Fi 1.

M In considering the drawing, it is noted that the blank shown in Figure l is slitted, as by means of reciprocating slitting punches or the like, in panels or zones, one of which is designated by the reference letter X. For this purpose, I may follow the procedure and employ the apparatus described and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 409,791, filed November 26th, 1929, as a divisional application of this case. Each slitted r zone or panel, as clearly seen in Figure 1, includes a pair of rows or strips of reversely or divergently inclined slits which form similarly arranged strands 6 inclined in opposite directions at each side of a narrow strip of r metal 7. The blanks are also formed or ribbed as by means of swaging dies in a Serial No. 216,031.

manner which may most clearly be brought out by reference to Figure 2.

In this figure it will be seen that the narrow unsiitted strip 7 which is left through the center of each slitted panel or area X is. moved slightly out of the general and original plane of the blank which contains the side or marginal'portions 8 of the unslitted areas or zones between the adjacent panels X. The forming operation also produces relatively shallow ribs or oeads 9 in the unslitted areas, these being at least in large part provided for convenience in guiding the material through expanding mechanisms and the like during the process of manufacture.

By further reference to Figure 2, it will be seen that the strands 6, as a whole, are displaced out of the general plane of the blank, with an intermediate portion of each strand, as indicated at 10, disposed at the maximum '70 distance from the original plane of the blank. In this connection, reference should also be made to Figure 5, and from these views, it will be seen that points 10 are disposed somewhat nearer to the outer ends of the strands than to the inner ends thereof, and further that both ends of the strands are turned into planes which extend at an angle to the general plane of the blank. While the metal 11 at the converging ends of the strands in each panel X (see Figures 1, 2 and 5) extends at an oblique angle between the unslitted strips 7 and the high points 10, the metal 12 at the outer ends of the strands is turned into a plane substantially perdendicular to thee general plane of the sheet.

I have found that by forming the blanks in this manner, the strands will bend more readily during expanding and will not be subjected to the severe twisting strains encountered in other configurations of blanks.

The lathing is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 after ithas been subjected to an expanding operation, and by reference to these views it will be seen that the general shape of the J5 blank is still retained although, of course, the strands are bent at their end portions during the expanding operation.

The expanded metal lath referred to above is adapted to be secured in place with the Cir . encased in the plaster with the result that it will corrode and rust only very slowly.

It is tobe understood, of course, that the forming or swaging dies or the like may be changed to produce slight differences in the cross sectional configuration of the sheet and also that the slitting punches may be altered to produce a different design of slits, although I prefer the foregoing embodiment.

In accordance with the foregoing, themanufacture of lathing of this type is materially simplified. In addition, the invention makes possible increasing the speed of production while producing a lath which, dueto the formation and bends of the strands, is economical with respect to the plaster used and is more effective as a plaster holder.

In considering the appended claims, it

should be noted that the term slitted panel is employed to designate an elongated area of the blank such as marked X in Figure 1, this area including a plurality of parallel slitting strips extended longitudinally of the blank.

I claim:-

1. A metallic blank prepared for expansion, said blank having a .slittedstrip therein the slits of which extend in said strip at an angle to the longitudinal. axis thereof, the

strands of metal formed by the slitting being displaced from the general .plane of the blank, and the displacement being greatest at a point intermediate the ends of the strands from which point they extend toward the plane of the blank.

2. A metallic blank prepared for expansion, said blank having elongated slitted panels therein each including a pair of adjacent and elongated slitted strips, the slits of the two strips being divergently inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the panel, and the strands of metal formed between the slits being displaced from the general plane of the blank, the said displacement being greatest at a point intermediate the ends of the strands and greater toward the outer than toward'the adjacent edges of the strips.

3. A metallic blank prepared for expansion, sald blank having an elongated slitted panel therein including a pair of adjacent slitted strips the slits of which aredivergently inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the panel, the strands formed between the slits being displaced from the general plane of the blank, and the said displacement-being greatest at a point intermediate sion, said blank having'an. elongated slitted strip therein the slits of which extend at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the strip, the strands formed between the-slits being displaced from the general plane of the blank, said displacement being greatest at a point intermediate the ends of the strands from whichpoint the strands extend toward the planeof the blank, and the ends of the strands toward one edge of the strip being disposed in a plane extending asubstantially perpendicularly with respect to the general plane of the blank. e

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name. p

HERBERT K. BAKER. 

